The emergency and preparedness response (EPR) of five provinces in Western Visayas has been activated to “Charlie” or the highest response protocol after being classified as high risk to landslide and flooding due to the trough and shear line caused by Tropical Storm Paeng.
During a pre-disaster risk assessment (PDRA), the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) classified the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental to be high risk for the possible impact of the weather disturbance.
RDRRMC spokesperson Cindy Ferrer said the EPR of Guimaras and the highly urbanized cities of Bacolod and Iloilo remained at no risk to very low risk based on the result of the assessment.
“The province of Guimaras and highly urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod are on standby protocol as they are identified as low risk,” Ferrer said.
Under the “Charlie protocol”, local government units have to activate the majority or all their response clusters, ensure operational readiness of critical lifelines, pre-emptively or forcibly conduct evacuation, recommend work or class suspension, and issue appropriate advisory and contingency plans, among others.
During the PDRA, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau also identified 1,808 barangays in the region to be susceptible to flooding and landslide.
In an advisory released Thursday, RDRRMC chairperson Roberto Nuñez urged concerned disaster risk reduction and management offices to “take all necessary measures to protect life and property.”
“Persons living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials,” Nuñez said.
Data from the Department of Education DRRM office showed that as of 10:45 a.m., 19 schools in Antique, 14 from Negros Occidental, and 82 in Iloilo have suspended classes.
In Capiz, 16 LGUs canceled classes in their areas and the provincial government suspended work at the Capitol, except in front-line offices.PNA
